Response to Trustee Andy Levitt’s Spin About the Wiegman Administration’s Lock-Step Voting

The folowing letter was published in this week’s issue of The Gazette.

To the Editor,
My thanks to Trustee Andy Levitt for describing to us the “difficult” processes and “spirited” disagreements encountered by our mayor and trustees in arriving at their unanimous votes. Because without his explanation, we would never have known that they occurred.

Over the past several years, I have attended many board meetings and work sessions, and viewed many others on TV, but, somehow, I must have missed all of those meetings at which these “difficult” processes and “spirited” disagreements arose.

I did not observe any “spirited” disagreements during the meeting at which the board unanimously accepted the Gouveia property, when they all knew, or certainly should have known, that the economic analysis on which that acceptance was based was as contrived as Mayor Wiegman’s time records.

I must have missed the “spirited” disagreements that took place as the board unanimously passed bond resolutions that will increase Croton’s debt by over 30% in a single year, further enhancing our unenviable position as the first or second most indebted small village in Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland Counties.  And I guess I must have been in the rest room when the “spirited” disagreements over the capital budget took place during the work session at which it was reviewed.

The “spirited” disagreements over Mayor Wiegman’s conduct, when it was revealed that he (and Trustee Gallelli) had secretly conspired with Barbara Sarbin of Something Good in the World to establish her school on the Gouveia property, and then lied about it to Mr. Levitt and the other trustees, seem to have slipped from my memory.  It must be that, at my advanced age, remembering such things is getting increasingly difficult.

Similarly, I can’t recall the “spirited” disagreements over the mayor’s conduct when he forced the village to pay for his health insurance, based on the aforementioned fraudulent time records. Another senior moment?

Now I’m sure it was not Mr. Levitt’s intent to mislead the citizens of Croton regarding why almost everything passed by this board is done so unanimously and without public debate.  So all of the “consensus-building” and other “difficult” processes, and the “spirited” disagreements he refers to must have taken place out of the public eye.   
But wouldn’t that violate the state’s Public Meetings Law?  

That couldn’t possibly be so, because Mr. Levitt and his fellow board members never tire of telling us how open and transparent they are. Thus, as with so many of the other contradictions between what this board says and what it does, I find myself confused once again.

But all is not lost. If you want to see real consensus building, view truly spirited discussions, and participate in the public airing of all of the processes leading to village board votes, unanimous or otherwise, all you need do is vote for Greg Schmidt, Bob Anderson, and Ken Walsh on November 3. You will never regret that decision.

Sincerely,
Joel E. Gingold

Real Toughmen Don’t Pass the Buck

In an article on LoHud.com Mayor Leo Wiegman is quoted making some fairly misleading statements about the ability of the Village of Croton to stop the traffic disruptions and potentially dangerous safety conditions caused by the annual Toughman race. According to LoHud (with our emphasis added in bold): 

“Mayor Leo Wiegman said the village has no control over the event because the state Department of Transportation has given Toughman permission to close the state highway. And, he said, the village has no control over the park, either; it’s owned by Westchester County.
'My position is because those decisions are out of our hand, we need to work with the race as best we can so that our police department knows what the detours are and how to direct people,' Wiegman said.”

There are well-documented problems caused during the race in Croton by closing Route 9, particularly the significant traffic congestion on Riverside Avenue and Route 129 as innocent travelers going north or south on a major highway are unexpectedly diverted to poorly-marked local roads, trying to get to the one-lane Quaker Bridge across the river. Mayor Wiegman’s personally chosen former director of emergency management for the village, Richard Nagle, is quoted in the article detailing the negative impacts of the race on our community. 

If, as Mayor Wiegman says, we have “no control over the event” why does Toughman CEO Richard Izzo continue to appear before the village board seeking a contract? The answer is that Mr. Izzo needs village approval, because the village has the authority to “license, regulate or prohibit speed contests, races, exhibitions of speed, processions, assemblages or parades” under New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law. Either Mayor Wiegman and the board do not know that the village has legal authority to prohibit the race from occurring within the village, or he and the other trustees have chosen to mislead residents.  

Instead of seeking to placate Mr. Izzo, the Mayor should use Croton’s superior bargaining position to ensure that the course chosen is the one that least disrupts our community and that ALL of our costs are reimbursed. Last year the village lost money hosting this event. Is this another example of the Wiegman administration’s “thoughtful” approach to fiscal responsibility?

Setting the Record Straight

This letter was published in this week’s issue of The Gazette.

To the Editor,
Two letters that appeared in last week’s Gazette, from Eileen Henry and Brendan Monahan, addressed different issues but shared one characteristic: both letters proceeded from unfounded assumptions to make false conclusions concerning Croton United. Allow me to set the record straight.

Ms. Henry’s letter purported to be a recap of Croton United’s “Meet the Candidates” event and was based on the content of an anonymous comment left on a third-party community blog. Ms. Henry, who did not attend our event, apparently assumed that the unattributed comments that appeared on that website reflected the views of Croton United—an assumption that has no basis in truth.  

Had she attended our event, she would have heard our candidates speaking of their concern for our community and their ideas for the future, not re-hashing the past. In particular, no one from Croton United even referred to Trustee Slippen that evening, let alone questioned the legitimacy of her election.  

You cannot believe everything you read on the internet.

Similarly, Mr. Monahan’s letter appears to be based on a less than complete understanding of Croton United’s positions. For example, while he is correct that we opposed the acquisition of Gouveia Park, our opposition was based on our belief that the current board had not provided the public with an accurate assessment of the costs that would be incurred, and not for the reason that Mr. Monahan wrongly assumed was the case.  

Now that documents recently released by the village have made it clear that the Board’s earlier cost analysis underestimated many of the costs involved by a factor of three or more, we at Croton United feel vindicated in our position, though regretful of the pyrrhic nature of the outcome.  

We want Ms. Henry and Mr. Monahan, and all other members of our village community to know that Croton United welcomes all residents to attend our events and speak with our candidates. Indeed, at earlier Croton United events, we were pleased to host former Democratic village trustee Georgianna Grant and former Croton Dems chair John McBride.  

Reliance on rumor and innuendo has its risks. Get the facts directly from Croton United at www.crotonunited.org. 

Roseann Schuyler
Chair, Croton United 

Croton United’s Joel Gingold on the Benefits of Diversity of Ideas and Opinions

This letter was published in last week’s issue of The Gazette.

To the Editor,

Eileen Henry is 100% correct—diverse groups do make better decisions. But when considering good government, diversity goes well beyond race, gender, or ethnicity. The most important component, by far, is the diversity of ideas and of opinions. And this has been sadly lacking on our village board for the past several years.

But this condition can be easily remedied by electing Croton United’s Greg Schmidt, Bob Anderson, and Ken Walsh in November. Adding these exceptionally well-qualified and experienced individuals to the board will mark the beginning of a new, progressive era in the way the board conducts the people’s business.

For far too long, the board has passed laws, resolution, budgets, etc. with little discussion and rarely, if ever, a debate on the merits of the issue at hand or a critical examination of whether it is truly beneficial to the citizens of the village. Time after time, measures have been moved, seconded and approved without a dissenting vote, or even a question as to their effectiveness, appropriateness, and financial impact on the citizens of the village.

The Croton United team will reverse this process. All significant proposals, and especially those that are controversial or require a significant expenditure, will be publicly aired and subjected to critical analysis. Open, lively, and respectful discussion and debate among all board members will be encouraged and input from the public will be sought and, more importantly, considered in the discussions. Alternatives to the initial proposal will be explored, and comprehensive, honest cost/benefit analyses prepared whenever appropriate. If these activities indicate that the initial proposal should be modified, that will be done, and compromises among those with differing opinions will be achieved if necessary.

Of one thing you can rest assured. When this process is implemented, the actions taken by the board will have considered every aspect of the issue at hand and the final decision will have been made based solely on the best interests of all of the residents of Croton.

Greg, Bob, and Ken understand the need to consider all ideas and opinions relevant to village issues. If in the majority, they will always consider input from the minority, because no individual or organization has a monopoly on good ideas. If in the minority, they will support the majority when they believe they are acting in the best interests of the village and offer alternative proposals when they do not.

As Pope Francis so wisely said, “I like it when someone tells me ‘I don’t agree.’ This is a true collaborator. When they say ‘Oh, how great, how great, how great,’ that’s not useful.”

Return the diversity of ideas and of opinions to the Croton village board. Vote for Honesty, Integrity, and Experience in November. Vote for Greg Schmidt for Mayor and Bob Anderson and Ken Walsh for Trustee.

Sincerely,
Joel E. Gingold

Announcing our slate of candidates

On behalf of Croton United, I am pleased to announce that the voters of Croton will once again have a choice when voting for the offices of Mayor and Village Trustee this year. 

Croton United is proud to support the candidacies of Dr. Greg Schmidt for Mayor, and Bob Anderson and Ken Walsh for Village Trustee. 

We firmly believe this slate of candidates, which offers both experience and new vision to our village, will provide public minded, forward-thinking leadership to the community.

Over the next few months, our candidates look forward to meeting and speaking with members of the Croton community about our vision for the future.  

Roseann Schuyler, Chair
Croton United